Automatic magnetic separator for mills.



H. 0. LITTLE.

AUTOMATIC MAGNETIC SEPARATOR FOR MILLS.

APELlcATloN FILED Nov. 4. 1916.'

1,217.61 3. I Patented Feb. 2T, 1917.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET l. 5mi v Hmm INVENTDQ# 64 45 l HENRyL- ITLII !LE' L, by ATTEI EYE H. 0. LITTLE.

AUTOMATIC MAGNETIC SEPARATOR FOR MILLS.

Patented Feb. 27, 19T?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4.1916- I`\ -J INVENTI|R= I HEN Ry III I E by WTIQNEyE.

HENRY O. LITTLE, 0F BRIDGEWATER, MASSACHUSETTS.

`farrtloirrAfrIc MAGNETIC SEPARATOR Fon MILLs To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. LITTLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at. Bridgewater, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Magnetic Separators for Mills, of which the followin is a specification.

\ This' invention relates particularly to means for conducting grain to the hopper of a grinding mill and forseparating from the grain during its passage to the mill inagnetizable bodies such as nails, pieces of wire, etc., and' preventingvsuch bodies from passing with the grain,to the mill.

The invention is embodied'in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificationf- Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a grain-conducting chute embodying my invention, parts being bi'dken away andparts shown in section.

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of a portion of the chute.

Fig. 3 repesents a fragmentary plan view showing the cross bar which connectsl the roll-supporting levers hereinafter described.

Fig. at represents a 'side elevation of the chute looking toward the side opposite that shown by Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 represents a section on the line 5-,5 of Fig. 1.

The same reference characters indicate the saine parts in all of the figures.

The frame supporting the chute and the mechanism hereinafter described coperating therewith, as here shown, include a base 12l and two spaced-apart uprights 13, the base being supported by a standard secured at its lower end to a floor or other support 15. As here shown, said standard includes a base memberv 16 rigidly attached tothe floor and a tubular upright 17 the upper end of which receives a shank 18 rigidly attached to the base 12.

The upright frame members 13 are spaced apart to receive between them a chute having an inclined bottom which extends from a receiving hopper 19 communicating with a source of supply to the hopper 2Q of thegrinding mill.

The bottom of the chute includes an upper portion 21 of any suitable material, and a lower portion or section 22 'of ironor steel' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1er?.

Application iled November 4, 1916. Serial No. 129,489.'

adapted to be magnetized, and to attract and hold loosemagnetizable bodies such as nails, pieces of wire, etc., passing with a stream of grain through the chute. I have provided suitable means for magnetizing 'and demagnetizing the section 22, said means as here shown being embodied 1nv electro' `magnets 2-1 and suitable circuit connections between the said magnets, the section 22 and a source of electrical energy such as a ma neto generator 25, said connections inclu ing a manually operable4 circuit breaking and closing switch 26. When 'the magnets 21 vare energized by the closing of said switch, the section 22 is magnetized and caused to hold m'agnetizable bodies passing downwardly with the grain thro'ugh the chute. The bottom of the chute is provided below the section 22 with an outlet port 27 through which the said' magnetizable bodies may fall into a removable tray or receptacle 28.

' 29 represents a deflector hinged lto the chute, preferably by means of a rock shaft tion. said means being embodied in the rockshaft 30, and an arm 33 thereon having a weight 34, said arm and weight being adapted to swing the deflector to its deflecting position. deflector-restraining means adapted, under one adjustment to prevent the action of said yielding means, and positively hold I have also provided adjustabley the defiector in its port-closing position, and

undei' another adjustment to permit the action of said yielding means and the shifting of the deflector to its deflecting position. I have embodied' the restraining means in .a two-armed operating lever 36, fulcrumed at 37 and l,provided with a handle 36a, a flexible connection or chain 47 connectingl one arm of said lever with the weighted arm 33, and a detent, here shown as a pin 44 adapted to be inserted in the lower one of two 'orifices 46in a fixed upright 45, and, when soinserted, to engage the other a'rm of the lever- 36 and hold the lever in the position shown by' dotted lines in Fig. 4, the lever and the chain 47 being thus caused tol positively restrain or hold the deflector in its port-closing position. When the lever 36 is moved to the full line position, (Fig. 4), the chain '.47 is slackened y, and the deflector-shifting action of the said yielding means is permitted.' It is necessary from time to time to arrest the flow of grain through the chute'preparatory to removing an accumulation of magnetizable bodies from the section 22. Tovthis end I provide a vertically movable gate adapted to obstruct the chute above the section 22,. as indicated by Fig. 5. Said gate is connected with one arm of the lever 36 by a sliding bar 38 having a pinu 39 movable in a slot 40 in said lever arm and a two-armed lever 41, fulcrumed at 42, one arm of the lever 41 being connected with theupper end of the bar 38,

and the other-endvwith an arm or stud 43 on the gate 35. The described connections are` so organized that, when the lever 36 is in the position shown by full lines in'Fig. 4, and permits the shifting of the deiector, the gate is closed, and when the lever 36 is in the position shown by dotted lines and positively holds thel deflector in its portclosing position, the gate is open. The lever may be confined in the full line position by the detent pin 44, the latter being linserted for this purpose in the upper orifice 46.

It willnow be seen that when the lever 36 4 is adjusted and confined to positively' hold the deflector in its port-closing position, the

gate 35 is held open, and that when the lever .v

is adjusted to permit theshifting of the deflector, it closes the gate.

The switch 26 may be manually operated to break the circuit after the l ver 36 has` been moved to close the gate an permitthe i' shown, and moving on a pulley 73 on a shaft shifting of the deflector'. y

I find it desirable to briefly hold the deflector in its port-closing position after the closing of the gate and the releaseof said shifting means, to give time for the pro er discharge of the grain below the gate be ore the deflector is shifted to its deecting posij tion. To this end I attach to the rock-shaft 30 a metallic arm or armature 32 adapted to contact with and be attractedv by the section 22, when the latter is magnetiz'ed, and thus hold the deiector in ,its port-closing posi-` tion, as indicated by dotted lines in'Fig. 4, until the circuit is broken, care being taken by the operator to move the lever 36 to osition to close the gate and permit the s iftingt of tbedeiector before breaking the circu1 One of the inclined edges ofthe section 22 projects laterally from one side of the chute,

and the armature 32 is located outside the chute 1n position to contact with the project- ,upper rQ1- the accidentalshifting of the deflector to deiecting position, `said meansbeing positively acting and not dependent on magnetlism or on a -spring or springs.

rlhe upper roll 52 1s normally vmaintainedv i at a predetermined distance yfrom the lower. roll'by yielding means whi'chpermit the upper roll to yield upwardlyin case a metallic body of maximum thickness or bulk passes between the rolls.

As here shown, the ends of the shaft 53 project from the outer sides ofthe frame members 13 into slots 55 ina pairfof twoarmed levers 56 fulcrumed at 57. One arm of each lever 56 is provided with a weight 58 which is preferably adjustable, 'said weights through the levers on the upper roll.

To vary the normal distance between the upper and lower feed rolls, I provide'means preferably embodied in a cross bar 59, Fig. 3, connecting two of the arms of the levers 56, a fixed upright screw-threaded standard exerting a downward yielding pressure A 60 passing looselyy through said cross bar j and having a nut 61 bearing on the upper side of the cross bar, a nut 62 preferably threaded portion o the standard 60, and a spring 63 interposed between the nut 62 and the cross bar 59. It Will be seen that a vertical adjustment of the nut 62 causes the cor-v responding adjustment .of 'the upper feed roll through the spring-63, said spring yielding to permit the upper feed roll to be raisedA by the passage of a metallic body of maximum bulk between the two feed rolls.

The lower feed roll may be driven by the means shown by Figs. l and 2 and including a belt 74 engaged with a driving shaft, noty 72 ljournaled in a bearing ony the standard 18, abelt 64 connecting .a pulley 64 on said shaft with a pulley65 on a shaft 65a whichv is'connected by gears 65b and 65c with the shaft 51 of the lower roll. Motion is transmitted fromy the lower roll tothe upper roll y through a gear 66 attached tothe shaft of Vtween the shafts of the two lrolls 'compensate for inde endent vertical movements of the 7 8, Fig. 5, represents a Vdrag suspended to oscillate on an axis 79 which is located above the upper portion -of the section 22j, and is adapted to be held by gravity with its lower formed as a hand wheel engaged with the A edge separated from said Asection yby a space.. permitting the passage of' a shallow stream.

of material, said drag beingV movable outwardly, as indicated -`by dotted lincsso that its loweredge bears on the surface of -a deeper -stream and-fis adapted tov depress magnetizable bodies'thereon. toward the section 22, to the end that 'said vbodies may be .broughtfwithin' theiiniuence of the section near its lower end an 22 instead of riding'over the 'same without being yattracted thereby. l

I have set forth and claimed a chute hav- Ding flow-controlling means,`including the feed rolls 50 and 52,-.independently of the magnetic separating means, in another application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 129,490, filed November 4,

1916. It is obvious that the invention isnotv limited to chutes for conducting grain or cereals,`and that a chute equipped with lthe described improvements may be used for conducting streams of cotton seed and other materials.' y

Theincli'ned chute :and its adjuncts hereinbefore described may constitute a part of the structure of a grinding mill instead of being 'constructed independently thereof as here shown.

I claim:

l. -In combination, a chute having an inclined bottom providewith an outlet port tion above said port, means for magnetizing fand demagnetizing said section, a movable delector adapted when in one position to form a poiflon of said bottom, and when in another position to direct magnetizable bodies through said port, yieldingV means normally holding the deflector in its deflecting position, and deflector-restraining means including an adjustable member and a detent therefor, and adapted under one adjustment of said member to prevent the action of said ielding means, and positively hold the defliector in its port-closing position, said member when under another adj ustment permitting the action of said yielding means. l

2. In combination, a`chute having an inclined bottom provided with an outlet port near its lower end and a magnetizable section above said port, means for magnetizing and demagnetizing said section, a movable deflector adapted when.in one position to form a portion of said bottom, and when in another position to direct magnetizable bodies through said port, yielding means normally holding the deector in its deflecting position, and deflector-restraining means including a lever,-a flexible connection between said lever and said yielding means, the lever being movable to a position preventing the action of the yielding means, and a detent for releasably securing the lever in said position, the release of said lever a magnetizable secand its movement from said Yposition pei'- mitt'ing the action of said yielding means.

3. In combination, a chute having an inclined bottom provided with an outlet port near its' lower end and a magnetizable section above said'port, meansfor magneti'zing and. demagnetizin-g said section, a movable deflector adapted when in one position to form a portion ofsaidbottom, and when in another position to direct l magnetizable bodies through said port, yielding means normally holding the deflector in, its deflecting position, deflectorrestraining means including a lever, afficxible connection between said'lever and said 'yielding means,

the lever being movable to a position preventingv the action of the yielding means,

anda detent for releasably securing said leverin said position, the release of said lever and its movement from said position permitting the action -of said yielding means, a gate adapted to close the chute at a point above said magnetizable section, and

gate opening and closing connections between vsaid lever and the gate, adapted to close the gate when the lever is moved :from

said position.

4. In combination, a chute having an inclined bottom provided with anoutlet port near its lower end and a magnetizable SeC- ftion above said port, 'means for magnetizing and demagnetizmg said section, a movable deflector adapted when' in one position to forma portion of said bottom, and when in another position to direct magnetizable bodies through said port, yielding means normally holding the deflector in its deflectingaposition, defiector-restraining means including a lever, a flexible connection between said lever and said yield-ingmeans,

the lever being movable to a position preventing'the action of the yielding means,

and a detent for releasably securing said lever in said position, the release of .said lever and4 its movement fro-m said position `permitting the action of said yielding means, a gate adapted to close the chute at a point above `said magnetizable section, gate opening and closing connections between` said lever and the gate, adapted to close the gate when the lever is moved from `saidposition, and an armature having a rigid mechanical connection with the del'eetor and adapted to be temporarily held by the 4magvnetizable section after the closing of the 125 In combination, a chute having an inl magnetizing and demagnetizing said section, a movable deflector adapted when in one position to close said port andl form a portion of said bottomand when in another position to direct magnetizable bodies through said port, a rock shaft carrying said deflector, an armature on said rock shaft located out-side the chute and adapted .to be held by the laterally projecting portion of said section with the defiector in its portclosing position when the sectionris magnetized,'and yielding means acting on said rock shaft to turn the latter and move the deflector to its deflecting position when the section is demagnetized.

6. ln combination, a @hete having an inclined bottom provided with an outlet port near its lower end and a magnetizable section above said port,Y means for magnetizing and demagnetizing said section, a movable deflector adapted when in one position toclose said port-and form a port-ion of said bottom, and When in another position to direct magnetizable bodies through said port,

a rock shaft carrying said deflector, an armature on said rock shaft adapted to be held by the section'with the deflector in its portclosing position when the section is magnetized, and a weighted arm attached 'to the rock shaft and acting thereon to turn the rock shaft and move the defiector to its deiecting position when the section is demagonetized.

7. In combination, a chute having an inclined ,bottom provided with an outlet port near its lowenend and a magnetizable section above said-l-port, means for magnetizing and demagnetizing said section, a movable detlector adapted when in one'position to close said port and form a portion of said bottomfland when in another position to direct magnetizable bodies through; said port, a rock shaft carrying said de'lector, an armature on said rock shaft .adapted to be held by the section with thedeflector in its portclosing position when the VHsection is magnetized, and yielding means acting on said rock shaft to turn the lattervand move the deflector to its deflecting position when thesection is demagnetized, means being progate-opening vided for moving the deflector to its portclosing position and'moving thesaid arma-- ture into Contact with said magnetizable sec- 8. In combination, a chute having an inclined bottom and provided with an outlet port near its lower end and a magnetizable section above said port, means for magnetizing and demagnetizin said section, a movable deflector adapte when in one position to close said port andvform a portion of said bottom, and when in another position to direct magnetizable 'bodies through said port, a rock/shaft carrying said deflector, an armature lon said rock shaft adapted to be held by the section with the deflector in its port-closing position when the section ismagnetized, yielding means' acting on said l rock shaft to turn the latter and move the deflector to its deflecting position when the section is demagnetized, and an operating lever flexibly connected with said rock shaft and adapted to move the deflector to its port-closing position and to move the said netizable section, an armature connected Withthe deflector and adapted to be confined by said section to hold the deflector in its port-closing position when the section is magnetized, a twoarmed operating lever,

and closing connections between said Ver and the gate, and connections between said lever andthe deflector organized to move said armature into contact with the magnetizable section when the gate is opened.

ln testlmony whereof lf. have aiiied my signature.

HENRYy O. LITTLE. 

